News roundup: The lie of the year goes to Obama

The Fixer charged with felonies. Lee poaches from the Legislature. House passes budget deal.

Happy Friday. Each year, PolitiFact, a leading fact-checking organization, picks its lie of the year and this year's winner, um, loser, is President Barack Obama for his now infamous health reform line: "If you like your plan you can keep it." [

Tim Lawson, who is a friend and "fixer" for former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff was arrested Thursday and charged with six felony charges, for tax evasion, retaliating against witnesses, obstructing justice and a pattern of unlawful activity. [

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-> Here is a timeline of Tim Lawson's involvement in the overarching scandal. [

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-> State Rep. Derek Brown will resign in January to become the new deputy chief of staff and state director for Sen. Mike Lee. Brown will take over the duties of Boyd Matheson, Lee's chief of staff who has been flying back and forth from Washington. [

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Tweet of the day:

From

@JaredLogan

: "When I see Barack Obama and George W. Bush laughing over drinks I think 'Are they making fun of us?'"

Happy birthday:

On Saturday to Rep. Jason Chaffetz's district director Jennifer Scott.

Congrats:

To Tribune photographer Chris Detrick and wife Ashley on the birth of their new son, Owen. Mom and baby are fine and Owen's already made his Facebook debut.

And thank you:

to Jordan Bailey, our intern this semester, who has helped us deliver this news roundup to your email boxes and computer screens day after day.

In other news:

All four of Utah's House members voted to pass the budget compromise deal that none of them really like, but they believe it's a realistic way to cycle of the governing by crisis. The deal passed the House and will go to the Senate for a vote, Sens. Orrin Hatch is leaning no and Mike Lee is firmly opposed to it. [

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-> It's looking likely that instead of expanding Medicaid, Utah may try to cover those adults hovering near the poverty line by giving them cash to buy a plan on healthcare.gov, after the latest discussions in the Legislative Health Reform Task Force. [

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-> Pat Bagley gives his take on why Utah lawmakers are not keen on expanding Medicaid. [

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-> Summit County is the wealthiest county in the state of Utah with the highest median household income last year at $84,672. That ranks it 34th across the nation. Piute County had the Utah's lowest median income with $36,403. [

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-> Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, along with mayors from across the country, unveiled a top 10 list of the most imperative issues facing urban areas. [

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-> Salt Lake City's nonprofit bike share program GREENBIKE will be closing up for the winter, but will reopen in the spring with even more bikes. [

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-> Taylorsville City Administrator John Inch Morgan will be the new executive director of Valley Emergency Communications Center in January. [

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-> Paul Rolly discusses how a paraplegic man's got stuck in the cold and the cab company he called never came, and how Cottonwood Heights is looking to limit the number of snakes a home can have. [

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-> Bob Bernick looks back at the political careers of retiring state Sens. Stuart Reid and Pat Jones. [

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-> Bernick and Schott count down the top 10 political stories of the year and No. 10 is Gov. Gary Herbert killing Snake Valley water deal with Nevada. [

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Nationally:

The House passed the two-year budget outline 332-94 that reduces the chances of another government shutdown. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, took aim at tea party critics saying they're not working in the best interest of the Republican party and are misleading and lacking credibility. [

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-> After pulling an all-nighter, the Senate plans to continue working through the weekend in an effort to confirm all of President Barack Obama's nominees, but not without Republican objection. [

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-> The White House press corps unloaded frustrations on White House press secretary Jay Carney about the lack of access to President Barack Obama. Carney said the White House is working to address the concerns, but didn't mention any further details on what steps are being taken. [

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-> For years the CIA has said that Bob Levinson, a former FBI agent captured by Iran, wasn't one of their agents. Turns out he was definitely one of their agents and he's still missing. [

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Where are they?

Gov. Gary

Herbert

conducts interviews for agriculture and food commissioner, hosts the staff holiday luncheon and meets with the Business Association Coalition.SL Co. Mayor Ben

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